Selection of behavioral test parameters for estimation of typological features of rat behavior

: Behavior of 86 rats was examined in three behavioral tests, i.e., open field, forced swimming and emotionality by F. King. The results of statistical analysis of all the indices obtained with application of factor analysis suggest that the three tests characterize four relatively independent behavioral components: emotionality, locomotor-exploratory activity, olfactory performance, and resistance to adverse emotional factors. A contribution of each measured parameter to the above components was estimated. Such an approach makes it possible to reasonably select most important behavioral features when estimating locomotor activity and emotionality of animals.